A Grenache Day Celebration with special guest Tony Saunders and the Keystone Band
Sunday, September 17. Doors 4pm, Music 5-8pm At the Denmark Street Barn
Sonoma, Ca. (Aug. 9, 2023) – Grammy-Award-winning jazz vocalist Catherine Russell and her band will perform in Sonoma Valley for the first time when Winery Sixteen 600 celebrates Grenache Day at the Denmark Street Barn Sunday, September 17, 2023. The evening includes an opening set from two-time Emmy winner Tony Saunders and the Keystone Band, food from local favorites Mike the Bejkr & Chef Fiorella Butron, and lots of Sixteen 600 Grenache.
“It has always been a dream to bring our dear friend and one of my favorite musicians on for a Sixteen 600 event,” said Sixteen 600’s Sam Coturri. “And to do it in the name of our favorite variety, Grenache, is the cherry on top.”
With just 200 tickets available space is limited for this special performance that touches on more than a century of musical history. Russell’s musical lineage reaches back to Louis Armstrong, her songbook is an encyclopedia of jazz, plus she’s worked with Steely Dan, Wynton Marsalis, David Bowie, and Madonna. Saunders’ musical connections include Jerry Garcia, Mavis Staples, John Lee Hooker, and, of course, his father Merl Saunders.
“The legacy of the artists we’ll have on that stage in September is unreal. It’s a ‘pinch me’ kind of moment,” Coturri said. “I just wish we could share this with more of our Phil Sent Me wine club members and our friends and neighbors here in Sonoma.”
The Denmark St Barn is located at 1700 Denmark St Sonoma CA 95476. Doors open at 4pm with music from 5-8pm. Tickets are $75 each, available at sixteen600.com/CRTIX . Phil Sent Me members will enjoy complimentary food and wine.
Winery Sixteen600 is owned by iconic sustainable viticulturist Phil Coturri and his sons Max and Sam Coturri. Sourcing grapes from many of the vineyards farmed by Phil’s Enterprise Vineyards, they emphasize wines made from the Rhône grape varieties. The winery’s tasting house is located off the square in downtown Sonoma and features two stereo systems (with turntables, of course) and a collection of art by Stanley Mouse, longtime Grateful Dead cover artist and designer of the Winery Sixteen600 labels. https://winerysixteen600.com/
Catherine Russell
Vocalist Catherine Russell is a native New Yorker, born into musical royalty. Her father, the late Luis Russell, was a legendary pianist / composer / bandleader, and Louis Armstrong’s long-time musical director. Her mother, the late Carline Ray, was a pioneering vocalist / guitarist / bassist who performed with International Sweethearts of Rhythm, Mary Lou Williams, and Sy Oliver. Catherine’s professional life began early. After graduating with honors from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, she toured and recorded with Carrie Smith, Steely Dan, David Bowie, Cyndi Lauper, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne, Michael Feinstein, Levon Helm, Toshi Reagon and Rosanne Cash, among others, appearing on over 200 albums.
With universal acclaim, Catherine Russell has performed on four continents. She’s been a hit at major Jazz Festivals including Monterey, Newport, North Sea, JazzAscona, Montreal, Bern, Rochester International, Panama, Tanglewood, and at sold out venues like The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Scullers in Boston, The Dakota in Minneapolis, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall in NYC, SFJazz in San Francisco, and Pasadena Pops in Los Angeles. All Music Guide says, “Russell emerged as a retro old school vocalist for the ages.”
Her repertoire features a selection of gems from the 1920s through the Present; vital interpretations, bursting with soul and humor. With an off-the-beaten-path song selection, sparkling acoustic swing, and a stunning vocal approach, Catherine Russell has joined the ranks of the greatest interpreters and performers of American Popular Song.
Tony Saunders
Two-time Emmy Award winning bassist, composer, producer and son of legendary Bay Area keyboardist, Merl Saunders, Tony Saunders’ life has been infused with one musical adventure after another. As an arranger, producer, composer and performer, Saunders has conquered the worlds of jazz, gospel, R&B, pop, rock and world music. He earned the first of his two Emmys at age 14 for collaborating with his dad on the PBS documentary Soul Is and by 17 was playing with Merl and Jerry Garcia on their collaborative projects. The second was earned for his contribution on the TV show, Digital Journey, on the episode, “China: Their New Digital Economy.” Though he took one of his first musical lessons on piano from Herbie Hancock, the bass he received from John Fogerty’s brother Tom – and watching recording sessions with famed bassists Anthony Davis and Lee Miles – sparked a lifelong passion for that instrument that now, 50 years later, has led to his emergence as a major independent force in contemporary jazz.
Saunders graduated from the prestigious Conservatory of Music in San Francisco as a piano player, but has focused on the bass throughout his career, drawing on influences and encouragement of greats like James Jamerson and Stanley Clarke. After launching his career with his dad Merl and Jerry Garcia, Saunders embarked on a diverse career that has found him playing and recording with a virtual who’s who of popular music and jazz – including Eric Clapton, David Crosby, Dave Liebman, Les McCann, Dr. John, Joe Sample, Chaka Khan, Ringo Star, Bo Diddley, Mavis Staples, John Lee Hooker, The Hawkins Family, Jeff Lorber and Paul Jackson Jr. Over the years, Tony has scored films, corporate videos, TV shows and commercials, and produced many artists out of his own studio, Studio 1281. He’s written the music and been musical director for stage musicals, including Rock Justice, which was co-written by Jefferson Starship’s Marty Balin.
